Infinite Evolution: My Idle Evolution System

Today was the first day of the new school year, and it was also the day before Bella would begin the marriage ceremony. However, it was on such a day that tragedy struck the City of Hoshito. Melancholy permeated the citizens, making for a stark contrast to how the place seemed less than 24 hours ago. Even those who were not very close to the late Branch Master felt a sense of sadness when they heard the news—especially the Hunters.

The Hunters of Hoshito had no complaints when it came to the late Branch Master. He had treated them well, better than any other region's Branch Master. It was mostly thanks to him that Hoshito had as many competent Hunters as it did, and he was also the reason why their City had extremely low casualty rates.

But now he's dead.

And there was no coming back from death…

The conspiracy theorists had two running theories for the Branch Master's death. Very few actually believed he died from natural causes; it was not only illogical but impossible. If the Branch Master's doctor were still around, then they would have proof to back this belief, but he had mysteriously… disappeared.

Yet, the Doctor's disappearance only further backed the two leading theories for how their beloved Branch Master died. Explore hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire

The First Theory was centered around the complete wipeout of the B-Rank Hunter Party from a few weeks back. The MoonShiners were famous even on the international scale, not for their strength but because of their popularity. The point being that it wasn't completely illogical that there was a deeper scheme happening behind the curtains. Perhaps die-hard fans of the MoonShiners went out of their way to secretly harm and kill the Branch Master. Or perhaps those same fans hired someone else to do the dirty work.

In Japan and even various other countries around the world, certain Assassination Organizations paved the way for high-profile murders. Of course, every single one of these modern-day assassins were trained professionals and also Awakeners who awakened with the Assassin Class. This meant it was fully within their capabilities to assassinate a B-Rank Veteran Hunter like the Branch Master of Hoshito.

That was assuming the price was right…

The Second Leading Theory was that the higher-ups of the Hunter's Association suddenly decided the Hoshito Branch Master to be an eyesore. He was, after all, commonly known for attenuating more to the Hunters than the Executives who governed the Hunters. In truth, if it weren't for the Head of the Japanese Hunter's Association stepping in and speaking up for the Hoshito Branch Master, he likely would've been covertly disposed of long ago.

This brought to the table a pressing follow-up question:

Why wait until now to take care of the Branch Master?

It wasn't like anything of substance had happened to the current Japanese Hunter's Association Headmaster, so why only now eliminate the sore thumb?

Something wasn't adding up.

This sense of the unknown further spurred the emotions of those who adored the Branch Master.

They demanded the truth!

But the truth would never come to light.

At least not until it was already far… too… late.

Hours passed by, and a group of black-clothed people wearing veils appeared outside a Graveyard located atop a hill. Rain poured heavily on this bleak afternoon, doing well to overshadow the tears staining the cheeks of several other black-clothed figures.

The ones wearing the veils, however, were Cassius and those close to him.

A deafening silence hung over the area being constantly abused by the large droplets of rain. Only when the muffled crying of a singular girl became loud enough did everyone snap out of their reveries.

Thousands of people had gathered on this soaked hill to mourn the death of a man who lived in their hearts—and the hearts of countless more people who couldn't make it here today.

The first school day had been set back by three days because of this tragedy, so many students who met the Branch Master in person were here in the moment, their faces all blue with sorrow.

They remembered it as if it were just yesterday that the kind Branch Master spoke of the plans he aimed to implement to benefit not only them but the working adults as well.

A better life was expected to arrive for them all.

Yet, before the Branch Master could see the lives himself…

he lost his own.

Corra was too overwhelmed with sadness to even properly greet anyone, yet no one took offense. They simply gathered around the eloquently decorated coffin now sitting at the bottom of a six-foot-deep grave.

It was an open coffin ceremony, so everyone could see the Branch Master's unmoving corpse, his expression still painted with an unfounded look of peace.

He was smiling.

None knew why he was smiling, but none here… besides one, had ever experienced death, so how could they know?

Cassius's face was devoid of emotion. He stared at the funeral man dumping dirt over the lifeless corpse, with each dump dealing more and more damage to Corra.

Her mother had died when she was young due to a rough pregnancy, and now many years later, her father dies as well.

There was now no one left in her life…

Corra loved her father; she truly did. Even if he was strict and their relationship wasn't made public knowledge due to numerous political reasons, that didn't mean she didn't love him.

After her mother died because of… her… a lot of fathers would grow to hate that child.

However, the kind Branch Master did not.

He was the prime reason for why she was able to become who she was today. He taught her how to defend herself, how to not take anything for granted, how to protect those who were unable to protect themselves.

He… taught her so many things…

...and was patient for so many years…

Yet, seeing the Branch Master's frozen expression made everything that was Corra's life come crashing down onto her.

It was all too much to handle, causing her to faint while leaning into the grave hole.